[Rooftops] Re: [msgs] City of Boston WI-FI "summit" Thurs @ Museum of Science (9am - 1pm) (fwd)

[Michael Best]

Hey Thad, Regarding #1 below - have you written up these results? I 
would love to see your study results.

Thanks,
--MB.

Thad E. Starner wrote:
> Folks-
> 
> 
>>Where was someone to talk about Nicholas' $100 computer, which can do
> 
> 
> Speaking of this, I'm writing a short article for IEEE Pervasive
> Computing on the subject of how to create inexpensive networked
> computers for the rest of the planet (~5 billion people or so).
> 
> I'm thinking of comparing NN's $100 laptop to the Simputer to
> mobile phones.  One of my points will be that mobile phones
> will soon be the equivalent of full featured desktops and the
> interfaces will be sufficient for the task.  If anyone has
> suggestions, can point me to the Simputer guys, or can help me provide
> background info for the points below, I'd appreciate it!
> 
> 1) Keyboards: (My) recent studies show that mini-QWERTY (thumb
> keyboards) and the Twiddler allow the average user to achieve desktop
> typing rates (~50-60wpm sustained on average).
> 
> 2) Displays: Head-up displays or laser projection displays will give
> mobile phones the resolution they need to use full desktop
> environments.
> 
> 3) Networking:  Do store and forward networking, leveraging wireless
> communities - much like USENET did with 56kbaud lines in the 70s-80s.
> 
> 4) Batteries:  These phones can use little enough power to be wind-up.
> Big problem here is mechanical wear and battery lifetime
> 
> 5) Interface:  This is hard.  MS Windows, Linux/X, etc. don't cut it.
> They assume too much tacit knowledge.  But this area can have rapid
> development.
>  
> 6) $:  Need to create a "business model" where owning one of these
> computers is profitable, so that the owner keeps it working.  Much
> like the micro-loans program in Bangladesh for mobile phones.
> 
> 					Thad
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